Batanes: Pure Filipino Spirit

5/19/2010

Pure, authentic, undiluted. These words describe the architecture of Batanes.
Although meager resources, limited choices of construction materials, and severe weather conditions can seem such negative factors, the confluence of these in the province has also been the crucible that purified gold. In this case, it created the distinct architecture found in our northernmost islands.

Batanes is our country’s front liner when it comes to the typhoons brewing from the North. The harsh weather required a kind of structure that could withstand the strong winds. Hence, the Ivatans fashioned squat, stone houses, with walls about three feet thick and small windows with thick wooden shutters that could easily be boarded up. Iron and steel are strong but readily corroded by the salt sea air; so these are used sparingly.

The province’s distance from mainland Luzon, not to mention the rough waters surrounding it, made the transportation of new construction materials difficult and expensive. It was more economical to use what was commonly available. So, the natives used limestone rocks and corals for their walls and the dried cogon grass for their roofing. Hardwood is hard to come by, only found in certain wind-protected areas of the island; so, much of the wood used is the same as that used for the local boats. To this day, we find this special architectural mix most particularly in this province. 

Despite its remoteness, the resolute Spanish friars still found their way to its shores and imparted some of their influence on the towns. This is visible, not just in the whitewashed mission churches, but likewise in the inherited technology of bonding the stone and framing the roof and replacing the flimsy cogon and thatch roofs with clay tiles.

So much more can be said about the Ivatan structures. We can analyze their every feature and explain their origins and practicality. However, it is only when we see the actual homes, town buildings, and churches that we can appreciate the personality and circumstance of the Ivatan. With these photos taken by renowned photographer, Joy Jesena-Barcelon, we may get a feel of that distinct architectural character: the simplicity of lifestyle, the strength and tenacity of the people, the purity and utility of design, and that unique Filipino spirit.